


An Inconvenient Proposal

by kijikun



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Bonding, Eggpreg, F/M, M/M, Pre-Slash, Pregnancy, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-01-08
Updated: 2011-05-20
Packaged: 2017-10-14 14:04:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/149969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kijikun/pseuds/kijikun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jo is the only one that can do this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Bonding

**Author's Note:**

> Arranged bonding/marriage, no spoilers for season 6. Pre-slash Dean/Castiel. Betaed by the lovely Luc_darling

Jo stares at Gabriel as if he's lost his mind.

"You want me to what?" Jo demands. She whips her head towards Sam. "You can't think this is a good idea. C'mon, Sam."

Sam looks uneasy but he meets her eyes. That's more than Dean or Castiel can do these days. But she doesn't blame them. "It's a better solution than anything else we have," he points out. "We can't keep him trapped forever."

She snorts. "Yes, we can. Wasn't that the whole original point of the thing?"

Gabriel's jaw clenches. She doesn't care if he's supposed to be an Archangel, he doesn't feel like an angel. And she doesn't care if she's not in hell on the rack because of him -- she refuses to _owe_ anyone.

"And that worked so well, didn't it?" Gabriel drawls. "I don't think sending my brother back to his room to think is going to work."

Sam nods. "It didn't the first time."

Jo leans heavily against one of the junked cars. "Tell me why we can't just kill the bastard again?"

"I'm not Michael," Gabriel says in a low, almost pained voice. "And Castiel -- it wouldn't be right to ask him. Even if he doesn't know."

She hates this, secrets within secrets. The only ones that _don't_ know are Dean -- who refuses to even look -- and Castiel who --

It's so painfully obvious to her.

"Then give one of us the means," Jo argues. She's not a monster -- not yet -- she really wouldn't want to force Gabriel or Castiel to do the slaying.

Sam shakes his head. "The ritual could kill her -- "

Jo opens her mouth because she _doesn't care_ if she's killed. She's not really -- she shouldn't be here.

She's _wrong_.

"It wouldn't be punishment," Gabriel says before Sam can finish or Jo interrupt. "He'd welcome death."

Sam's fingers brush Gabriel's wrist in a way she's sure they don't think she sees. "You want him to have a chance of redemption."

Gabriel doesn't say anything, but Sam dips his head closer the smaller man - angel - demigod. "He's my brother," Gabriel voice is a bare breath and once - once Jo wouldn't not have heard it.

That was before.

"All right," Jo sighs.

Gabriel looks relieved, Sam guilty.

She gives a sharp shake of her head. "Just don't expect me to like it. Or him." She narrows her eyes at Gabriel. "Or have sex with him."

"I think he'll be grateful for that last one," Gabriel almost smirks.

It's forced, but Jo appreciates the effort.

***

Lucifer looks furious. And well, Jo doesn't really blame him.

He glares at them as they enter the room he's held in, the ring of fire barely big enough for him. Jo pretends she doesn't see his eyes soften with _something_ when Castiel enters though. She pretends she hasn't seen -- hadn't seen --that same look in her mother's eyes.

"Come to taunt me?" Lucifer hisses. "Or offer to _allow_ me to return to my cage?" His focus is entirely on Gabriel and Sam.

"Brother, please," Gabriel says softly.

Lucifer makes a sound that makes Sam wince and the windows rattle. It doesn't hurt her at all. She's heard the full glory of his voice and didn't even get a headache.

"Please?" Lucifer repeats mockingly. "You trap me. You claim what is rightfully mine. You side with _humans_ over me."

Gabriel looks away and Jo sees Sam's fingers brush his back.

"We have an offer that doesn't involve the pit," Sam says evenly. "Or me saying the magic word."

Jo almost laughs, but she doesn't blame Sam for being careful. You can't really trust angels.

"You are not in the position to offer me anything, Samuel! You think this circle will hold me forever? Say yes now and I will forgive you. I'll forgive you as well, little brother." Lucifer wheels. "I'll even allow you conjugal visits...."

Jo's finally had enough. "Oh shut up," she snaps. They all turn their heads as one towards her, it's almost funny. Almost.

"How dare --"

"Really, just shut up, before I go get Death's blade and ram it down your throat," Jo growls, getting as close to the edge of the flames as she dares. "Sam's not an action figure to fight over. Sam's not going to say yes. And unless you'd _like_ to go back to your _kingdom_ , your highness, you'll zip it long enough to listen."

Castiel makes a sound that doesn't know whether it's a laugh or a whimper. Sam stares at her. Gabriel starts laughing.

Lucifer...

He looks surprised. Like he respects her just a bit for her outburst. "Far be it from me to refuse a fair maiden's request," he says smoothly. Probably the voice his vessel once flirted with.

Jo snorts. "I need a beer." She heads for the door. "C'mon Cas, go drag Dean out from under the Impala before he offers her marriage."

Castiel nods and with a last glance at Lucifer, precedes her from the room.

She shuts the door as she leaves.The last thing she wants to hear is someone signing away her -- her --

God, she needs a beer.

 

***

Castiel is the one that comes and finds her.

She's sitting on a junked out car nursing her fourth beer. They don't do much for her now, unless she puts away several six packs. Plus she can hear her mother telling her that liquor doesn't solve your problems, no matter what the hunters that came into the Roadhouse thought.

From where she sits she can see Dean putting the Impala back together. Castiel had fixed it for him -- she's been told -- but Dean made him put it back so he could do it himself.

So that's what she's doing when Castiel approaches her.

She knows by his face what the verdict is.

"So he's agreed," she says barely flicking her eyes towards him.

"He has not," Castiel says simply.

That gets her to turn her head.

Castiel inclines his head. "He wishes to speak with you."

Jo snorts. "I'll bet he does."

He just looks at her. Like he doesn't know how to handle this, like she's making it harder. Like he's confused about all of this.

"Alright, I'll go see his royal pain in the ass," she sighs. "You should go pull Dean's ass out from under the Imapla."

Castiel looks in the direction of Dean. "He hasn't eaten today," he says in a half-shocked, half-guilty voice. As if it's _his_ fault.

Jo watches his head towards the Impala and Dean. Once she'd of been so damn jealous of Castiel. Once she _had_ been so damn jealous. Because even though Dean offered, she knew, she knew what was between the angel and him. And she cared about him too much to keep him from spending that night pressed shoulder to shoulder with Castiel.

She slides off the twisted metal that once was a car and heads into the house that sits beyond Bobby's, ascending the stairs and opening the door.

Lucifer sits in his circle of fire.

A half hour crawls by before he speaks. Jo spends the time watching his eyes shift from pale blue to gold flicked with blue to red encircled in gold and back again to pale blue.

She wonders what he watches on her. Do her eyes change as she stands there?

Maybe they do. Just one more thing no one talks about.

"Why have you agreed to this?" he sounds uninterested and curious all at the same time. A impossibility but she's used to those now. He has two voices and she can hear them both. "You hold no love of me."

Jo smiles, allows herself to laugh like she never, ever will around Dean or Sam. "Because I hate you," she tells him.

She thinks maybe for a moment there is fear in his eyes. "Have I not suffered enough?"

"No," she tells him, turning her back to him. "You didn't learn a thing. I don't think you ever will."

Her hand is on the doorknob when he speaks. "I assent. I will take you as my bonded. I will be bound to you."

Jo looks back over his shoulder at him. For a moment he looks almost human. His shoulders are slumped, his head bowed.

He looks almost broken.

But she doesn't care. The part that would have died on the rack.

***

The ritual takes place the next day. Jo's not sure whose more afraid of cold feet; her, Lucifer, or Gabriel and Sam.

"You do not need to do this," Castiel tells her as she hesitates at the door. She's still amazed how both his voices sound so human and how one sounds so young. "This is not something that should be forced."

Jo smiles at him."And was Dean willing?"

Castiel stiffens, looking away from her."It was done out necessity."

"So's this." Jo wraps her fingers through the latch. The iron burns.

Castiel touches her right wrist, the wrist that will soon bear Lucifer's mark. "But I would never force the full completion of it."

"Bully for you," Jo mutters, but her expression softens and she lets go of the latch. "Castiel, I'm going into this with my eyes open." _You should let Dean do the same,_ she thinks but now isn't the time for that.

The angel still looks worried, a crease in his brow. It's like having a younger brother, she thinks. "Dean would -- " Castiel gives a sharp shake with his head. "Nothing I say will dissuade you?"

Jo shakes her head and pats his shoulder. "Nope. I'm stubborn like that and telling me no just makes it worse. Ask Dean about my first hunt sometime."

"If nothing else, I will be proud to call you sister," Castiel tells her with a half smile. He presses a kiss to her forehead before leaving her alone outside the house once again.

Her fingers brush against the latch again and she thinks for a moment about turning around. But she's her mother's daughter so she pulls the latch and goes in.

The house smells more like sulfur and ash than it had. It makes her skin and eyes itch. She makes a mistake of glancing at the mirror placed at the top of the stairs and winces. Her hands curl into fists and she smashes her eyes shut, taking deep breaths. When she reopens them she keeps her eyes from the mirror and opens the door to the room Lucifer's circle of fire is in.

Jo expects Lucifer to be mocking or furious. She expects something out of the Prince of Hell.

She gets nothing. He sits cross legged in his circle of fire. His eyes are closed and his head bowed. Behind his bowed shoulders -- something -- is flickering in and out or existence. She refuses to the name them.

Without speaking she pulls out her father's knife and slices her hand open. Fuck, it hurt and burned all at the same time. Something she's still getting used to. But she's not giving up her daddy's knife. No way in hell.

Jo quickly wards the door as Gabriel and Castiel taught her, then the window. Finally she lets her blood drip down her fingers into the holy fire. The flames flare up then slowly seem to be sucked into the floor itself, leaving behind a yellow circle.

Lucifer applades slowly. "Crude in places, but effective. I'm almost impressed." He doesn't move, but his eyes are trained on her. The sound of his voices makes her feel bold and clever -- talk about irrational.

"Good thing I wasn't trying to impress you," Jo snorts, stepping over the yellow line. Cushions have helpfully been placed inside the expanded circle and, oh, is she going to kill Gabriel for that. Arch-trickster or no.

"Gabriel thought to make us...comfortable," Lucifer says with distaste.

Jo makes a face. "I'm glad we agree of the likelihood of us being "comfortable" together."

Lucifer graces her with a small laugh. "Such is the sign of a happy bonding to agree on things."

With a sound that she'd refuse to call a giggle she sat down across from him. "Having things in common is the groundwork of any good relationship."

"Joy shall follow our days," Lucifer says, cocking his head to one side. His smile is almost mischievous. Jo almost wonders who he was before Lucifer, before the fall, almost.

But she hates him too much to let the thought grow. She has to hate him. "Let's get the happy event over with." She holds out her right wrist.

He stares at it for a moment. "You know that I will kill you given the chance?"

"I've already died once because of you. I'll take my chances." Jo raises her chin and glares at him.

Lucifer's expression for a fraction of a breath goes pale and stricken before it disappears behind a mask. He raises and holds out his left wrist.

There is a tense moment of waiting to see which of them will move first, then Lucifer wraps the fingers of his right hand tightly around her wrist. Jo feels the bones grind against each other and retaliates by trying to grip his left wrist just as hard.

The sharp showing of teeth makes her feel successful. "You would do well to close your eyes, little hunter."

Jo shows her own teeth and hisses. "Sorry, don't take orders from Satan."

He begins to speak and she finds she doesn't understand either voice. She follows the impossible sounds though her brain feels like its going to explode. Jo still remembers which sound means for her to start her part. They don't sound same coming from her clumsy tongue, but hers weaves with his.

It's almost a song, it's almost beautiful.

Almost

The circle reignites around them but it's nothing compared to the light shining from inside Lucifer's skin. Her focus narrows to him and the way their words blend. A pressure in the room is building higher and higher, and Jo can barely breath for it.

Suddenly his hold goes from crushing to just firm. Some latch inside of Jo snaps. Her lips pause for a moment as she inhales sharply.

"Joanna."

"Lucifer." The name is pulled from her with a gasp.

They've somehow gone from sitting across from each other to on their knees, foreheads pressed together, both of them breathing nothing but the other. A little voice in Jo screams that this isn't how it was supposed to go, this isn't how Gabriel described what it would be like.

She shoves it back, pushes on recklessly as her wrist starts to burn. She speaks against rapidly, twisting the ritual more, just as she had with her blood and the wards around them. Jo tightens her own fingers, this is almost done --

Something like soft leather wraps around her left wrist and squeezes as something falls from Lucifer's lips.

The pressure shatters like glass and the world goes white then dark.

When Jo opens her eyes again, she's lying across from Lucifer. Her wrist doesn't hurt, but she never thought it ask if it would afterwords.

Lucifer stares at her with wide pale blue eyes. She stares back before she sees the difference. Are those --?

There's a set of gold horns just above his hair line and a golden forked tail coming from -- well behind him. "Those are new," she comments, pushing herself up. If he's not going to act freaked out or anything she won't either. Jo needs to lay down the ground rules and then she's going to take a very long nap.

Her new -- whatever -- could clean up the mess.

It turns out moving so soon was a bad idea and the world tilts side ways before Lucifer catches her elbows. He makes a frustrated sound at her but doesn't say anything.

"Not talking isn't going to annoy me," she points out. "I'll probably enjoy it."

He makes another sound which she can't quite place.

"But really did you always have the Halloween accessories, or are we trying a new look?" Jo asks, pushing his hands away so she can get to her feet.

Lucifer looks at her unblinkingly.

Jo stares back.

***

"What do you mean: "he can't talk now"?" Jo demands, poking a finger at Gabriel's chest.

Gabriel shrugs and looks way to happy. "Silence is a virtue."

"And you ever shut up when?" Jo asks snappishly.

"Well, when I've got Sam's cock in my mouth ---"

Jo makes a sound of disgust. "I'm sure you talk with your mouth full."

Gabriel grins widely and sticks his sucker back in his mouth sucking suggestively.

"Sam is way too good for you," Jo mutters, she'll pull it out of him later.

Jo's just way too tired right now and somehow she just knows Lucifer is still staring at the mess wondering why it just won't go away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn't the way it was supposed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arranged bonding/marriage, pregnancy, no spoilers for season 6. Beta: pandionpandeus

Jo stares at Gabriel, waiting for the punch line.

Gabriel makes a movement with his shoulders and for a moment she sees the after-image of wings. She blinks rapidly to clear her vision.

"It isn't funny," she gets out. Because it isn't. Her and lucifer have come to a truce of sorts and she's slowly getting used to his odd mix of disdain and protectiveness, but this...how did it even...

"We've never had sex." She snaps. "So I can't be."

"Jo," Castiel says from behind her. "Gabriel is telling the truth."

"How?" she asks.

"When your soul bound to his grace. It's rare, Jo. Very rare," Gabriel tells her. "It shouldn't have been possible with the nature of your bond."

The space between Jo's shoulders itch. "You can't ask this of me. Not on top of everything else."

"No one will force you," Castiel promises.

Jo walks our before she says something she regrets. She walks across the yard to the house she shares with Lucifer. She finds the archangel in question in the kitchen.

There's flour on his cheek and cookie dough on his fingers. He looks up and smiles briefly, stepping forward into her personal space.

"You made cookies," she says softly.

He inclines his head slightly, his tail curling around her wrist.

"It's not supposed to be like this," she hisses.

He releases her quickly and turns back to his cookies. But not before she reads pain in his eyes.

"You hate me," she reminds him. "I hate you. Or did you forget, your highness?" she snaps, hoping for a reaction.

Lucifer keeps his back to her. Jo bares her teeth. "I'm going on a hunt," she declares.

She destroys a nest of demons with glee. She arrives back late, blood in her hair.

Jo tells herself its neither guilt nor regret that twists in her chest when she finds a plate of oatmeal cookies waiting for her.

***

Jo doesn't talk to Gabriel for three weeks. She gives in and talks to Castiel after a day, mostly because of Dean.

"What the hell did the angels say to piss you off?" Dean asks, leaning against the trunk of the Imapla. He's still working on it. He says he wants to do right by his baby, put her back together perfect.

She shrugs and drinks her beer. "Lucifer stuff."

He makes a sound that's half a snort, half a growl. "They shouldn't have laid that shit on you. The bastard should be rotting back in the pit."

Jo sighs. "Dean, he'd just get sprung again in a century or so. We both know it."

Dean doesn't say anything, but his frown says it all.

"He isn't that bad. He doesn't talk, doesn't hog the covers..."

Dean chokes on a mouthful of beer. "Shit, Jo, don't do that while I'm drinking!"

Jo laughs and pushes her hair back from her face. "Really, its fine. He's an asshole, but if it makes any sense -- he's still an angel. You know? Sorta like a creepy version of Cas that gets cultural references."

"I don't think that possible," Dean snorts.

"The cultural references or the creepy?" Jo asks. The sun feels good against her cool skin. It's a warm September, but there are signs it'll be a cold winter. But she's always cold these days.

Dean chuckles and takes another long drink. She admires the long line of his throat, then reminds herself that he's not what she wants anymore. She doesn't know what she wants but Dean...Dean belongs to Cas. She's seen the way they stand these days. "The creepy," Dean tells her. "I ever tell you how he used to just watch me sleep?"

"And what does he do these days?" she asks.

Dean flushes. "It's less...creepy now."

"Uh-huh. Nothing to do with anything else, right? Just not creepy anymore since it's your boyfriend watching you sleep," Jo teases.

"Do I need to tell your boyfriend about your first hunt?" Dean shoots back.

She wrinkles her noise, drinks down the rest of her beer, and ignores what's growing inside her. "He's not my boyfriend, asshole."

***

Jo's pretty sure he knows some days. And others she doesn't have a clue.

He doesn't say a word about her drinking beer -- though Sam gives her bitch looks when if he sees her. Gabriel just snaps it into rootbeer. Castiel just looks disappointed. Assholes.

Lucifer doesn't tell her one way or the other and she can't pick out clues to tell her. Sometimes all the clues add up to him knowing -- and he should know, he's an angel for fucksake. He cooks her steak rare, makes sure she has all the warmest blankets, and there's almost always a fire waiting when she gets back from a hunt.

Other times he -- he looks at her like he wants to erase her. It's the look she's used to, the look they started with. But if he _knew_ he wouldn't look at her like that, right? Jo snorts at herself when she starts to think that way. They hate each other after all.

They've just grown -- used to each other.

That's all.

And it's not like she can ask him if he knows.

Not like she's decided what she wants to do with it yet.

***

"Luc, for the love of --," she cuts herself off. "Will you please stop leaving towels on the bathroom floor?"

Lucifer lifts his eyes from the crossword puzzle.

"I don't even know why you're using my bathroom! You have your own down the hall from your room," Jo snaps. "I shouldn't have to trip over a wet towel when I get up."

He rises gracefully to his feet and she flinches without thinking. Because _fuck_ , she's going to push him too far one day and there won't be a -- something -- to give to Castiel and Dean.

Lucifer crosses to the coffee pot and pours a cup. She watches him put in the milk and sugar before he brings it to her. "Oh," she takes it automatically. "Thanks."

He nods and takes his seat again after gesturing towards the counter. A plate of french toast sits there. Damn, just what she'd woken up wanting.

Jo sighs and takes a long drink of the hot coffee. It warms up her insides just a little. "You don't have to do all this. Just, I don't care about the bathroom, I just..."

She sighs again. "I hate this," she finally whispers. "I hate that you can't say a word back. I hate that you're so...I don't know ... like you are."

His eyes shift from blue to gold and back again. Her heart freezes for a moment. Anger and frustration shimmers in those eyes. _What do you want me to do?_ , is what she reads in his eyes and face.

Jo drops her eyes and gets the french toast. "Have you had any?" she asks.

He shakes his head.

"We'll share then," she tells him and gets another plate.

For a flicker of time she thinks about telling him. About how her back tiches, about the thing inside her, about how fucking scared and mad she is over it.

"I wish you could talk, Luc. I think I miss you arguing with me," she says softly.

Lucifer nods.

***

Three months later Jo's on a hunt, eyes black as beetles, backed into a corner when she feels overwhelming panic not her own. The heads of two of the vampires shear off, falling to the ground. Behind the rest, Lucifer stands face twisted with rage and pain. Jo's heart stutters because he's not supposed to be able to be here. He should be in crippling agony.

In the space of that thought, he snaps the spine of another. Jo shakes herself and sets into killing the rest. She's only killed one more when his bloody hands pull her against him. A heartbeat later, they're back home.

A heartbeat after that and Lucifer is slumped against her. His tail is wrapped around her thigh and his hands rest on her stomach. "Luc," she says, feeling shaky with the knowledge that he risked...that he...

He makes a noise and wings wrap around her.

 _Please_ , something that sounds like his voices rings in her head. _Not again._

Jo finds herself putting her hand over his and nodding. She realizes she'd already decided, somewhere in her head, to keep it. She was going to give it to Dean and Cas... "I know, I've been stupid. Hunting like this doesn't help anyone. No matter what I am."

His wings and tail squeeze slightly. _You won't have to see it if you don't wish,_ he promises.

Jo swallows because part of her likes that idea. Part of her likes that it'll hurt him and she'll have something to use against him. She could send it away, give it to Castiel and Dean like she'd planned, or worse Anna and Crowley. She could mock him about both his fledglings being lost to him.

Part of her wants him to suffer because of her.

The rest of her leans back, just slightly into his warmth. "Shower, then pizza," she declares

He nods against her back.

Jo thinks about his fingers washing the blood out of her hair. But they aren't this. She doesn't want this. _He_ doesn't want this.

"You can let go of me know," she says irritably. "I don't need to be coddled. I'm hum -- I'm a big girl."

His arms fall away and she doesn't let herself regret it.

"And I've got blood in my hair," she adds. His tail unwraps from her thigh and brushes against her stomach.

Jo strokes the end of his tail before she can think, then flees at the sound of his low moan.

 _Shit_.

She turns the water up as hot as she can take it, leans against the wall, and tries not to picture him there with her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing goes smoothly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arranged bonding/marriage, pregnancy, no spoilers for season 6, talk of miscarriage, no actually miscarriage

Jo's in the sixth month when she realizes something is wrong. Chaotic blurred thoughts hit her at odd times. Sometimes it feels like the baby - she can finally call it that in her head -- is burning through her womb, like it's going to burn her out. There's a pain like a iron knife between her shoulder blades and every time she looks in the mirror her eyes are black as pitch.

She thinks the baby is killing her.

And Lucifer's been making a nest for them. _A nest_ For her and their baby.

Jo loves the nest. It's like Luc found every color and fabric she likes for it. The nest has taken over the living room in front of the fireplace. Some nights she sleeps there, with him, warm. She's started to think of names, of eye color. She's started to look forward to his tail wrapped around her wrist, her thigh, her growing stomach. It's easy to tell herself it's just the pregnancy. The pregnancy is the reason she feels...something besides hate for him.

She spreads her fingers over her stomach.

"Stop it," she tells the little life. "Please. I know I'm probably hurting you, too. But I want you."

It's the first time she's admitted it out loud.

Jo feels a movement, like the baby turning. The burning gets worse for a blinding moment and when she can breathe again, she's on her knees, hunched over her stomach.

Burning hot hands settle on her back. She inhales shakily. It could be any of the angels but she knows Luc's hands, the rough skin of Nick's hands.

"I'm okay," she says to the floor. She hates that she can't fight this. Her knife will do no good. There's no demon to kill -- no demon but her.

One of his hands slides over her stomach and the other wraps around the burn on her wrist. _"Tell me,"_ he whispers into her mind, both his voices echoing clear.

She sometimes wonders if Gabriel speaks to Sam in this way.

"It's nothing," she lies. The tiny desperate seed of hate and distrust clings inside her. "The baby just moved, I wasn't expecting it."

It's not a complete lie. Just half of one. And what did he expect from her kind?

Luc withdraws his touch and she feels instantly cold. _"The egg moved?"_

Jo straightens and whips around to stare at him. "Egg?" she repeats. " _Egg_?"

He tilts his head to the side and frowns. It's a frown's like the one he wore when she stood on the other side of holy flames.

"How the hell is an _egg_ supposed to come out of me?" she demands, surging to her feet. That must be why she's felt so much pain. Her body isn't meant to carry such a thing.

Lucifer remains crouched down. His frown deepens but he remains silent.

Jo shakes her head almost violently. "I didn't ask for this thing. I didn't ask for any of this," she hisses. The bab -- egg seems to shift inside her again and she grits her teeth. Her body isn't meant for this. It's angelic and an egg.

He doesn't think a word to her. Doesn't even look up at her. His eyes are focused on the nest, his face twisted in a scowl.

"I'm going," she declares and storms out.

***

Jo stalks across the yard, through the snow then down the path to Sam and Gabriel's home. Bobby had only just stopped complaining about the new forest that had sprung up next to his junkyard, that someone was going to notice how the junkyard was suddenly bigger, not to mention all the extra houses.

It's cold and she regrets not grabbing her coat. "Had to storm out like a teenager, did you Joanna?" she asks herself, her breath turning to smoke in the air. She easily pictures her mother's frown and her saying _"I taught you to be more sensible than this."_

God, she misses her mom so much. So much she hadn't realized it and her eyes water.

"Mom, I don't know what I want," she whispers to the cold air and she trudges through the snow. Her anger is evaporating. She doesn't regret her words completely; most of it was true, what she'd said.

When she reaches the house, a cottage that looks as if it has been there forever, her teeth are chattering and she's sure her blood is ice. She's always cold as it is. Jo also has lost most of the urge to yell at Gabriel.

Sam answers the door. "Jo?" his eyes grow wide and concerned. "God, get in here. Where's your jacket? What happened?" He pulls her inside and the sudden warmth makes her hurt.

"Where's Gabriel?" she blurts out.

"Archangel business with Castiel. You're lucky I'm here, I just got back from a hunt with Dean," Sam tells her, ushering her into the kitchen. Jo remembers why she likes Sam, as he puts a kettle on for tea. "Did Lucifer do something?"

Jo shakes her head despite how easy it would be to say yes. In a way he had, because she'd thought that maybe - but she's just the thing holding what he wants. "No. I just learned something I should have been told. I wanted to yell at Gabriel. Too cold now."

Sam half smiles. "You'll have to get in line for yelling at Gabriel. I have first dibs," Sam tells her.

Jo raises a questioning eyebrow. "What'd he do?"

"No changing the subject," Sam says with a frown.

"I wasn't changing the subject, you brought it up," she points out, putting her hands on her hips.

Sam lets out a breath that ruffles his bangs. "You first, then I'll tell you," he finally says as he get out two mugs.

Jo frowns and touches her stomach without meaning to. "Did you know I've got an egg in me? Like with a shell?"

"What?" Sam almost drops the mugs.

"That was my reaction. Lucifer knew. I bet Gabriel and Castiel knew, too. They had to. I can't carry an egg, Sam! How the hell is it coming out?" she snaps at him. It's not his fault, but it's his fault she'd bonded to Lucifer. Okay, his and Gabriel's fault but Gabriel isn't here to yell at.

Sam sets the mugs down. Carefully. "Jo, just calm down. Did you ask Lucifer about it?"

Jo shifts and stares at the kettle. "No."

He opens his mouth then closes it for a moment. "What kind of tea do you want?"

She shrugs, wondering why he's letting it drop. "I don't care. Something with honey."

Sam nods. "I'll talk to Gabriel when he gets back. If it was a danger - Jo, Gabriel wouldn't let it happen to you."

Jo shrugs again, hating that it makes sense. It's easier to wrap herself in righteous anger. Anger and hate are so much easier. "Why do you want to yell at Gabriel?"

"Kali," Sam says shortly.

"Oh."

Sam leans back against the counter. "Yeah, oh."

The kettle starts to whistle and Sam busies himself making tea. Jo waits quietly then wraps her fingers around the hot mug when Sam hands it to her. She tastes it. Perfect. Lots of honey and the taste of orange. To think she used to hate tea.

"What did Kali do?" she asks after Sam makes his own cup.

Sam looks down as if the tea leaves in his cup will tell him something. "She was here. Alone. With Gabriel."

Jo inhales sharply. "Sam, he didn't?"

"I don't know. I haven't asked," he stops for a moment and sips his tea. "They were kissing and he wasn't exactly fighting her off."

The pain in his words makes something in her chest feel jagged. Her first thought is to hunt Gabriel down and make him _hurt_. Then just as quickly she's ashamed of the impulse and steps forward to hug Sam. "I'm sorry."

Sam carefully hugs her back. "He's... I love him."

"I know," Jo tells him softly. There's a tightness in her chest, something like pain. She tries to think what it would feel like and --

The mug shatters on the floor.

Jo doubles over in pain, crying out in a pitch she knows isn't human.

"Jo?!" Sam's panicked voice pierces through the pain that has her on the floor.

She hunches over her stomach. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.

It's going to burn her alive.

Jo makes another noise. "The baby," she manages to get out.

Sam's picking her up and moving her someplace. Even that hurts and her body convulses.

"Just hold on, Jo. I'm calling Gabriel and Castiel," Sam tells her, gently placing her on a bed.

Jo curls around her stomach, tears streaming down her face. It feels like the skin across her stomach is growing too thin. Like the baby, egg, inside her is burning its way out. Or dying. She doesn't know. Oh God, she doesn't know.

"Don't want them," she sobs out, clawing at Sam's arm.

She doesn't want those angels. She wants --

 _"Jo!"_.

Blazing hot arms surround her. "Luc." She lets go of Sam to grip whatever part of Luc she can get.

His tail wraps around her her thigh and his wings enfold her. _"I'm here."_

"The baby," she sobs, pushing back into his heat as if it'll prevent whatever is happening to her.

He nuzzles her throat and spreads his hands across her stomach. _"I have you. I have you both."_

Jo's world descends into a haze of pain.


	4. Chapter 4

Jo's first sensation is warmth. Then softness. She opens her eyes and the first sight is a smooth curve of silver and red.

Its an egg. Her egg.

Jo reaches out a trails her fingers over the smooth surface. The egg vibrates faintly.

"Hey, Jo," Dean's voice comes from her left.

She raises her head and sees Dean watching her."Dean?" Her throat hurts and sounds raspy.

Dean passes her a bottle of water. "They weren't sure when you'd wake up." He smiles faintly. "Uhm, congrats?"

Jo gulps down the water and tosses the bottle at his head. "I hope Castiel knocks you up."

Dean laughs and makes a face. "I'll pass."

She looks back at the egg. Her egg. "Where's Luc?"

"Cas and Gabe dragged him out. Something about upsetting the egg." Dean hesitates then goes on. "He kinda freaked out when you didn't wake up."

Jo stares. She thought..."He did?"

Dean nods."Won't even let Gabe or Sam near you and the egg. Me and Cas are fine for some reason."

"Castiel is special to him," she says without thinking. She's exhausted and sometimes she forgets that only Dean and Castiel don't know.

Dean frowns, eyes going distance. "Yeah, I figured that out after Carthage." There's a hard edge to his voice and the air feels -- thicker.

It's a werid senstion and it makes her want to curl around her egg. Which is stupid, Dean wouldn't hurt it, but he might upset the little life inside -- wait -- "Wait, how long was I out?"

"Almost a week," Dean tells her. tone softening. "You scared us all."

Jo makes a face at him. "Next time I'll try not to -- oh wait there won't be a next time because I'm not doing that again." She rubs a hand over her face and lays back down, limbs feeling too heavy. Stupid frail body. Her kind weren't nearly as resilient as they were made out to be. "I didn't sign up for this."

Dean's hand is gentle in her hair. "I know and I'm so damn sorry Jo. We didn't have any right to ask this of you."

"Damn right you didn't," she grumbles. She touches the egg again. It hums and heats under her finger tips. "But this part -- no ones to blame by me and Luc for this."

"Gabriel should have warned you," Dean hisses softly.

Jo closes her eyes. She wonders if they were black -- Dean barely reacts anymore. "Gabriel should have done a lot of things. It's done and I'm tired."

Dean snorts. "Want me to get lost, huh?"

"I want a beer and a shot of whiskey," she tells him.

He laughs then and she can feel him shift, getting to his feet. "Get some rest."

Jo wants to ask for Luc, but she doesn't.

When she's sure Dean's gone she opens her eyes again and stares at the egg. "Hi," she whispers. It must be okay if the angels have left it here with her -- unless --- she shoves the thought down hard. If somethings wrong, one of the angels will make it known soon enough.

Part of her dearly wants to reject it. Wants to push it away, dash it against the floor. The rest of her recoils in horror at the thought of hurting her _baby_. God, its not its fault.

Jo pulls the eggs closer to her, nestling it against her stomach. The hum from the egg grows stronger. "Shh, mommy still needs sleep. Hum at your father."

The hum goes soft and for a moment Jo thinks she _feels_ Luc, expects to see him appear.

But he doesn't come. So she sleeps curled around the egg.

***

She wakes again to Sam's voice. "We can't just let her sleep. She needs to eat."

"Sam," Gabriel's voice is soft, almost apologetic. "She doesn't actually need to. You know that."

"Shut up," Sam hisses. "Don't you dare say shit like that about her."

Jo opens her eyes mere slits and sees them standing in the doorway. Sam's has a tray of food. It smells good now that she thinks about it.

And screw Gabriel's cheating ass -- she hasn't forgotten that conversion -- she _is_ hungry. Jo almost swears the egg vibriates against her stomach when she thinks about food. Like it's hungry too.

She hopes it's not. She doesn't know how or what to feed it. Damnit where is Luc?

"Food would be nice," she says, taking pleasure in the way Gabriel starts.

Sam looks gulity for a moment, before pushing past Gabriel, with the tray. "Didn't make you much, just toast and bacon. Some organe juice."

Jo almost asks about eggs but yeah okay that might be tacky considering. "Thanks, Sam." She pulls herself into a sitting postion, absently arranging the egg against her.

Gabriel's still in the doorway, watching everything almost expressionlessly.

"How you feeling?" Sam asks.

Jo shrugs and picks up a piece of bacon. "Better, I think. I've been sleeping so much its hard to say." Then she frowns. "I thought Luc was being a pain about you two being around."

Gabriel folds his arms. "We had words."

Sam shoots Gabriel a look.

"Is that why he hasn't come to see me?" Jo asks after finishing one piece of bacon and starting in on the toast. She more hungry than she thought. It feels like she can't eat enough.

Gabriel's eyes go wide for a moment. "He hasn't --"

"No, he hasn't," Jo says a bit bitcher than she means too. "At least not while I've been awake."

Suddenly Gabriel's full in the room, crowding up to the bed. "May I," he asks reaching for the egg.

For a moment she wants to claw at his out stretched hand. She wants to hiss at this _angel_ for wanting to touch her child. Shaken by the feeling she pushes it away and nods. "I guess so. Why?" she manages, hoping her voice is steady.

Gabriel carefully picks up the egg and holds it to his chest. He runs two fingers over its surface and the eggs seems to glow. _He _seems to glow. It burns and she has to look away. Shrink away.__

It hurt. Whatever he's doing - hurts.

"Gabriel!" Sam's got an arm around her and she realizes she's shaking.

Suddenly the light and pain are gone. "Sorry," he tells her passing her back her egg. "The fledgling was hungry. Luc should be -- " He shakes his head.

"Lucifer is being a fucking coward and it's hurting our egg, isn't it?" Jo asks sharply. "That's why am so hungry and so tired. I don't have enough -- whatever -- to give."

Sam's arm is still a strong comforting band around her shoulder. Like a protective brother she always wanted. "Can I beat the shit out of him."

"I get first swing," Jo tells him.

Gabriel says something under his breath, both his voices -- normally in sync -- go out of wack. Then Gabriel's gone.

Sam sighs loudly. "Angels."

Jo snorts. "You're telling me."

"Hey," Sam nudges her side. "Finish your breakfast."

Jo rolls her eyes but does so. She wants to ask about Kali. About Gabriel and him.

It's only after she's done and they've run out of things to talk about. Things with no weight to them. Hunting, hunters, weather, Bobby's newest research project he's roped Cas into.

It's only as Sam's at the door that he says it. "I'm sorry."

Jo stares at him. "About what?"

"Asking you to bond to Lucifer. It -- we didn't have the right." Sam leaves before she answers. Before her thoughts can catch up.

Jo sits stroking the egg for a long while before she comes to the only answer she could.

She's not sorry at all.


End file.
